‘Proposed 2008 budget inimical to N/Delta development’

Friday Ekeoba, Lagos

Shamsudeen Usman,
Minister of Finance THE United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), the coalition of Niger Delta ethnic nationalities and civil societies, has said that the proposed 2008 budget by the Federal Government was inimical to the growth and development of the Delta people. UNDEDSS saidit has studied the Presidency/National Assembly Budget 2008 proposals and has concluded that it was a budget of provocation to the Niger Delta, which insulted the sensibilities of all peoples of the Niger Delta.

In a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune and signed by the President, Mr. Pat Utomi, he said that the budget would not be realizable as long as it was dependent largely on monies accruing from this grossly-neglected region “for without development-driven reconciliation, there will not be the sustained peace in the Niger Delta that will allow for exploitation of its resources”.

UNDEDSS noted that Budget 2008, as proposed, was perceived to be insincere or ill-thought-out; and that it suggested government's determination to attempt to militarily impose Abuja's will on an already much-disgruntled people; which not-too-subtle intention could only at best be described as provocative to an ordinarily peace-loving people, and could be expected to meet resistance, which could translate into further violence and intransigence in the region.

The group expressed its disappointment that elected and appointed representatives of the Niger Delta, who were strategically positioned to impact the budget-preparation process, were so docile and insensitive to the demands by the peoples of the region for a concerted massive "developmental surge" in the region, even in the face of an obvious plot to under-develop the region, as exemplified by the refusal to adequately allocate funds to the NDDC or even ensure that monies owed it were paid immediately.

It contended that not only was the Federal Government anti-Niger Delta, but the region's representatives in the Presidency and National Assembly had failed to live up to their responsibilities of proactively fighting for the rights of the Niger Delta peoples. The group called on the NDDC to be more aggressive in demanding its due, and calls on all Niger Delta ethnic nationalities, pressure groups, opinion-moulders, and individuals to rally behind this call for urgent and comprehensive funding of the NDDC, the NDDC master plan and all other developmental obligations to ensure that the socio-economic needs and priorities of the region were met.

It warned against the obvious FGN plan to further militarise the Niger Delta and predicts that an insistence on attempting to use brute force will only breed state-sponsored terrorism and cannot secure the peace necessary to sustain the oil exploration and production levels on which the projected revenues of Budget 2008 are premised.

Excess crude oil hits $13.9 bn

Gbola Subair, Abuja

The country’s Excess Crude Proceeds Account stood at $13.9 billion at the end of January 2008, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ibrahim Dankwambo, has confirmed.. The excess revenue, which is being kept with the Central Bank of Nigeria , was generated between January 2007 and January 2008. The AGF , who spoke with newsmen at the end of the monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in Abuja , also said a total of N289.597 billion was shared from the Federation Account by the federal, state and local governments from the revenue generated in January.

According to him, the excess crude represents an increase of 39 percent over the figure of $10 billion as at August 2007. All earnings above the appropriated oil benchmark are expected to be saved in the Excess Crude. The National Assembly had appropriated $40 per barrel for the 2007 budget and recently approved $59 per barrel for the 2008 budget. The Federal Government and the 36 State governors had last year entered into an agreement with the Central Bank of Nigeria to save N1 trillion from the excess crude in a Reserve Fund for four years.

The N289.597 billion shared among the three tiers of government comprises statutory allocation of N257.906 billion and Value Added Tax of N31.691 billion. Dankwambo said, “The total funds declared and recommended for distribution for the month is N289.597 billion, as against N317.35 billion for the previous month, thus, showing a decrease of N27.753 billion or 8.745 percent.”